The communitarian approach on the values of the community over and above the values of individuals within that community. This approach looks to the particular context, community beliefs, and societal relations to formulate standards of justice and responsibility.
This approach can significantly affect how we make and respect decisions in clinical contexts. Some medical communities may decide not to offer particular therapies to individuals based on the needs of the community. Likewise, some families may decide not to accept particular interventions in light of their community’s resources and values. See the case of Baby Aaron below for a good example of a communitarian ethos.
- https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/communitarianism/
- Cross-cultural/communities and diverse beliefs: http://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/cross.html
- Clayton EW, Kodish E. (1999) Baby Aaron and the Elders, Hastings Center Report 29(5): 20-21.
- Etzioni, A. (2011). “On a Communitarian Approach to Bioethics”, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics 32(4): 363-374.